The present invention relates to a device and a method for storing and cleaning teat cups in a milking machine.
European patent application no. EP 213 660 describes an automatic milking apparatus which is intended to milk dairy animals without the continuous presence of an operator. The device contains a teat cup holding and cleaning apparatus where teat cups are arranged upside-down on sprayers. The teat cups can be picked up from the sprayers by a robot arm. Each teat cup is returned to the sprayers by a traction cable which draws the teat cup to a stop above the sprayer and then allows the teat cup to drop onto the sprayer. A problem with this device is that no means are provided for cleaning the milk line from each teat cup. Furthermore as each teat cup has both a milk line and a traction cable there is a large risk present that a milk line or traction cable will become caught on the animal being milked or the milking apparatus.
An object of the present invention is to overcome the problems associated with prior art teat cup holding apparatuses.
An object of the present invention is to provide a teat cup rack which can store at least one teat cup in a suitable storage position so that it can be picked up by a robot arm before being attached to a teat.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a teat cup rack which can permit unobstructed movement during milking of a milk line attached to the teat cup.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a teat cup rack which can remove the teat cup from a teat after milking and return it to the storage position.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a teat cup rack which can position the teat cup for rinsing and washing.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a teat cup rack which can rinse the inside of the teat cup between each milking.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a teat cup rack which can clean the inside of the teat cup, the inside of the milk line and the exterior of the equipment.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a teat cup rack which can rinse the outside of the teat cup and the outside of the milk line between each milking.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a teat cup rack which can store the teat cup when there is no power supplied to the rack.
The invention will be described in more detail by means of non-limiting examples of embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The objects of the invention are achieved by a teat cup holding rack for a milking machine in accordance with the invention as described below. The teat cup holding rack preferably comprises a frame provided with teat cup storing means, milk line guiding means, milk line retracting means, teat cup cleaning means, manoeuvring means for the teat cup cleaning means, equipment rinsing means and control means.